FCI Standard N0 259  20.01.1998 / GB

JAPANESE TERRIER

ORIGIN : Japan.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 05.06.1995.UTILIZATION : Toy dog.

FCI CLASSIFICATION : Group 3 Terriers Section 2 Small sized Terriers  Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : This breed was created by mating smooth-haired Fox Terriers, exported to Nagasaki from the Netherlands in the 17th century, to small-sized pointers or small-sized native dogs. Japanese Terriers were kept mainly as lap-dogs in ports such as Kobe and Yokohama.
The Japanese Terrier has a lively and cheerful character. Its planned breeding started around 1920, and it was not until about 1930 that its type became fixed.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Small-sized dog of smart appearance with a clear-cut and compact outline. The coat is very short, being about 2 mm in length.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The ratio of height at withers to length of body is 1 : 1. The nasal bridge and the skull are equal in length.

BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT : The Japanese Terrier is swift and lively in temperament.

HEAD
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Flat and moderately narrow.
Stop : Not too defined.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Black with a straight nasal bridge.
Lips : Thin and tight.
Teeth : Strong and white, with a scissor bite.
Cheeks : Lean and free from fullness.
Eyes : Moderately sized, oval in shape and dark in colour.
Ears : Set on high, moderately small, thin, V-shaped and dropping forward. But carried folded and standing out from sides of the skull permitted.

NECK : Moderately long, strong, gradually thicker towards the shoulders and free from throatiness.

BODY :
Withers : High.
Back : Short and firm.
Loins and croup : Slightly arched and powerful.
Chest : Deep, but forechest no too broad. Ribs well sprung.
Belly : Well tucked up.
Tail : Moderately thin; docked at the third or fourth joint.

FOREQUARTERS :
Shoulders : Sloping gently.
Forearms : Straight, bones not too heavy.
HINDQUARTERS :
Thighs : Long.
Stifle joint : Moderately angulated.
Hock joint : Moderately angulated.
Hock : Vertical.

FEET : Tightly closed, pads elastic; nails hard and preferably dark in colour .

GAIT : Light and agile.

COAT
Hair : Short, smooth, dense and glossy.
Colour : Tricolour with black, tan and white head; white with black spots, black markings or tan markings on body.

SIZE : Height for both dogs and bitches : approximately 30 - 33 cm.

FAULTS :
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered as a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
- Slightly overshot or undershot bite.
- Bicolour.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS :
- Long hair.
- Extremely overshot or undershot bite.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.